Barcelona star Ousmane Dembélé is negotiating a ‘golden contract’ with Newcastle United as his future at the Nou Camp continues to be unresolved.
That’s what Foot Mercato report today, stating that the Frenchman is ‘currently in talks’ with the Magpies about a move.
The website explains that Dembélé’s contract situation is causing ‘a lot of headaches’ for Barcelona as his current deal runs out next summer, and they are not close to him agreeing on an extension.
The situation is ‘complicated’ as while the two parties have been in active discussions for months, they are yet to find terms that they both find agreeable.
Barcelona have offered their number 11 a deal until 2025 with a ‘reduced salary’ as his current figure of €10m a year has ‘annoyed’ the club given he’s managed just 81 appearances in La Liga in the last four years.
This hasn seemingly not gone down well with the player, who is the ‘master of his destiny’ and has decided to look elsewhere.
That’s where Newcastle come into it, and the feeling is their wealthy new owners could ‘take advantage’ of the impasse with Barcelona to negotiate a ‘very juicy contract’ for the Frenchman.
According to FM’s informational, Dembélé is ‘discussing’ a five-year deal worth €15m a year with the Magpies, so a €5m increase on what he earns in Spain.
Alongside that, as he’s going to be a free agent, Dembélé is also asking for €15m signing on bonus from any club that takes him up.
That’s a fee that Barcelona, whose financial situation has been well documented at this point, cannot afford, but Newcastle, with their new Saudi Arabian finances, could manage with little issue.
There is one minor problem, though, and that is their league position. Should they fall into the Championship, a move to Tyneside ‘will be ruled out’, even if the money on offer is ludicrously good.
